Lancaster University helps develop cutting-edge resource for teaching with comics
© Edmond Baudoin, Traces of the Great War, @2018 On a Marché sur la Bulle. All rights reserved
Lancaster University has played a key role in the creation of a new learning resource encouraging pupils to delve creatively into English and History via the medium of graphic novels and comics.
Writer Ian Rankin, poet Simon Armitage and the UK’s Comics Laureate 2017-2018, Charlie Adlard, were among the creators linked to this educational resource for 11 to 15-year-olds authored by Dr Natasa Lackovic, from Lancaster University’s Educational Research Department and Co-Director of the University’s graphic novels and comics network ReOPeN.
The anthology ‘Traces of the Great War’ was launched at the Lakes International Comic Arts Festival (LICAF) in October last year, at the public session with the authors, led by Dr Lackovic and the Director of Amiens festival in France, Pascal Mériaux.
‘Traces of the Great War’ is a remarkable collection of thought-provoking graphic narratives, by internationally acclaimed comic book artists, graphic novelists and writers, which explores the continued relevance and resonance of World War One and its aftermath in our lives today.
The online learning resources offer teachers of English, History and Humanities a framework to engage with aspects of the Great War and its legacy in contemporary society in new light, through narrative, discussion and students’ artistic expression, as linked to a selection of graphic anthology stories, and aligned with the National Curriculum.
These unique Key Stage 3 cross-curricular resources provide teachers with exciting new activity ideas and lesson plans.
The toolkit aims to encourage students to engage with this profound topic both critically and creatively, designed as a series of easy-to-use lesson templates that could also act as an inspiring springboard for teachers and students to develop their own projects.
The resource uses a method of teaching developed by Dr Lackovic, who wrote all the lesson plans, which use a selection of the graphic anthology narrative resources and a wide number of other external resources.
The resource was tested by a number of teachers last year, edited and its final online version has just been launched.
“It is exciting to see the resource go online, with the potential to contribute to innovative and critical teaching-learning across the UK, highlighting the Traces anthology,” said Dr Lackovic.
“We hope that this resource will inspire teachers and students, and I wish to thank everyone who has supported its development.”